The Happy Farmer Wanderer-Chapter 415 Do You Really Not Think of That?_1
Qi Family.
The lavish and grand living room was full of people, yet so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Qi Guoyuan set down his teacup, his dignified and profound gaze sweeping over the people in the room, he said, "The situation is as such, everyone speak up and make a decision!"
"We have basically figured out Li Qing’s background. He’s an orphan, the kind nobody cares about when dead," said a middle-aged man who bore a striking resemblance to Qi Guoyuan, seated to his left.
"In my opinion, find an opportunity to bring that kid to our house, subject him to a harsh interrogation, and I refuse to believe he won’t cooperate!"
"I support the third brother’s idea," a balding middle-aged man on the other side also spoke.
"Our family has been eyeing the Han King Tomb for decades, sacrificing so many of our clan members, how could we let an insignificant orphan just get his hands on it? The deal was going well, and then he suddenly changed his terms, what does this mean?"
"If you ask me, if he isn’t completely ignorant of the rest of the map, then he’s holding out for a better offer."
Qi Guoyuan said indifferently, "Actually, he hasn’t changed his terms, and his words were very righteous and proper."
"Big brother, there’s no need to hesitate," the balding middle-aged man said anxiously, "Since the kid knows about the map, he must also understand how important that map really is. If we really let him sell it to someone else, it would be a huge problem for our Qi Family."
"Indecision leads to disaster. Grab the kid, break his arms, tear his tendons, and I refuse to believe he won’t spill everything!" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Qi Guoyuan remained silent, merely looking towards the others.
"Big brother, I have no objections. Having the Underground Palace Map in the hands of an outsider is not a good thing in itself!"
"I agree!"
"Agreed!"
Qi Guoyuan nodded, "Although perhaps by conceding some benefits, the kid would likely open up. But since everyone’s opinion is so unified, there’s no need to talk any further with him, get ready to take action."
"Big brother, you can’t afford to be too lenient on this matter," the balding middle-aged man crossed his legs and said, "Even if we concede a part of the Underground Palace’s benefits to get the map from that kid, in the end, he is a huge problem. It’s a very well-preserved Prince’s Tomb, and if that kid can’t keep his mouth shut and starts blabbering everywhere, damn it, our Qi Family is finished!"
Everyone echoed in agreement.
At this moment, a young man cautiously entered the living room, followed by Daoist Shi Shan.
"That’s settled then, everyone can leave," Qi Guoyuan said to everyone, glancing at Daoist Shi Shan.
The seven or eight middle-aged men seated in the living room stood up one after another and soon left.
"Sanxian, serve Daoist Shi Shan some tea," Qi Guoyuan ordered indifferently.
The young man nodded and left the living room.
With a grave expression, Qi Guoyuan looked at Daoist Shi Shan and asked, "How did it go?"
Daoist Shi Shan shook his head.
"Didn’t you say you were absolutely sure?" Qi Guoyuan’s face suddenly darkened.
Daoist Shi Shan exhaled slowly and said solemnly, "Using Li Yuanxian’s birth date and time, I indeed captured a wisp of his residual Yin Soul. I simply needed to open the coffin and place the Magic Artifact of the Third Rank inside, and it might have been possible to awaken the Third Rank through it."
"My method was not wrong, but something went wrong at the last moment, and Li Yuanxian’s Yin Soul suddenly broke through the Formation and escaped!"
"Escaped?!" Qi Guoyuan’s face twisted for a moment, suppressing his anger as he asked in a deep voice, "Didn’t you say that a mere remnant soul couldn’t possibly have any consciousness? How could it possibly escape?"
"There are two reasons," Daoist Shishan said. "Either someone is playing tricks, or it’s the Yin Soul of Li Yuanxian nearby."
"You really have given me two pieces of extraordinarily good news!" Qi Guoyuan’s face contorted, and his hands clenched behind his back.
After a moment of silence, Daoist Shishan said, "Perhaps that youngster named Li Qing might have the answer."
"What does he have to do with it?" Qi Guoyuan sharply lifted his head and asked.
"Does Mr. Qi still remember the words Li Qing once mentioned? He said that the Yin Soul of Li Yuanxian was beside him," Daoist Shishan stated grimly. "That Yin Soul of Li Yuanxian has been nurtured in the Underground Palace for a thousand years; ordinary people would be harmed upon contact."
"Even if Li Qing’s fate is tough, he couldn’t possibly withstand the prolonged erosion of a thousand-year-old Yin Soul, let alone make deals with ghosts and even obtain the Underground Palace Map. Unless he possesses a powerful Magic Artifact, or he has formidable skills."
"I suspect that the kid has a mentor, and perhaps he has mastered the art of ghost manipulation."
The already unpleasant look on Qi Guoyuan’s face suddenly became as awful as if smeared with a layer of excrement.
"So you mean to say, Li Qing actually has the capability to break open the Underground Palace?"
Daoist Shishan paused, "Mr. Qi, have you never considered this possibility?"
"If he could obtain the Underground Palace Map from Li Yuanxian, he surely has a way to get in!"
"Clever boy!" Qi Guoyuan slammed his fist fiercely onto the tea table, "To think I’ve been completely played by him!"
The corner of Daoist Shishan’s mouth twitched slightly, and he said with a face full of self-reproach, "This is my fault, I should have informed Mr. Qi earlier. I thought that such an obvious... such a matter, Mr. Qi would’ve thought of it long ago."
Qi Guoyuan stared at Daoist Shishan murderously, his eyes barely concealing his intention to do harm.
"So, does the Daoist have any good suggestions now?"
Daoist Shishan rubbed his temples, speaking indifferently, "I feel that the kid isn’t too keen on handing over the Underground Palace Map."
"It’s likely that he isn’t just dissatisfied with the low price Mr. Qi offered, but also has other designs!"
"His previous ease at the hospital, using the Underground Palace Map as a bargaining chip, was probably just to get off the hook for Qi Chuanyu’s coma while also throwing out such bait to get us hooked, waiting to drive a harder bargain."
"That boy must be hiding other secrets, and he definitely harbors designs on the Underground Palace."
Qi Guoyuan’s mouth curled into a mocking smile, he said to Daoist Shishan, "If the Daoist had been born in ancient times, you most certainly would have been an excellent military advisor. This analysis has suddenly made everything clear to me."
"You flatter me, Mr. Qi, you flatter me!" Daoist Shishan said with a smile, bowing cordially.
Yet Qi Guoyuan’s countenance suddenly turned grim, "But such a military advisor is also the fastest to die. Why are you willing to say these things to me only now?"
"Mr. Qi, please don’t misunderstand, I thought that something so obvious... No, something so evident, you would definitely have figured out, speaking about it would have been superfluous," Daoist Shishan hastily explained.
With a slight twitch of the mouth, Qi Guoyuan emphasized each word, "I hope that in the future, the Daoist can afford to be ’superfluous’ more often."
"Yes, yes, yes." Daoist Shishan said as he massaged his temples, nodding repeatedly.
This was such an apparent matter; how could he not have thought of it?
